[double00]

We only drive our 2017 Outback an average of 500 miles per month or 3000 miles every 6 months. We are not in a harsh environment.

With todays high quality oils, it seems excessive to change the oil every 6 months after putting only 3000 miles on the car.

Would we be okay changing the oil once per year?

 

[brucep]

In your case, the issue is not WEAR... it would be condensation within the crankcase. (This is the reason for the 6-month requirement)

In an engine which is used rarely and not run hard enough to get it hot for several hours at a time.... condensation forms within the crankcase. (Just like water-droplets on a cold beverage) Over time, there can be over a cup of water inside the engine.

Changing the oil/filter is cheep insurance against the damaging effects of water in the crankcase.


With that said.... if you PURPOSFULLY drive the vehicle for several hours at least once a month, this would boil-off any water in the crankcase hence extending the TIME requirement for Oil-Change=Interval.

 

[DFW-BDB]

Since your powertrain warranty will last until 2022, as time is the issue, not mileage, I would (and we do) follow the Subaru change interval at 6 months at least thru the warranty period. Our 2015 and 2016 have averaged under 6k a year.

 

[subiesailor]

Every 6 months for warranty reasons. I have a toy car that gets changed once a yr it’s an 05 and just hit 19,000 lol.

The most important thing is running it long enough to heat up the fluids and oil to evaporate the moisture caught in the oil. That and to ensure all the mechanics are warmed up and used etc. Short trips and not warming it up and few miles a yr is not so good.

 

[brucep]

Lets not get too hung up on "warranty"..... You are unlikely to have engine-problems (during the warranty period) due to OCI greater than 6-months.


A warranty is NOT "all or nothing".... for example, extending your OCI does NOT affect warantee on the suspension or electronics.

 

[z28dug]

Would we be okay changing the oil once per year?

Your car,do what you like but the answer to your question is no.

As already pointed out, condensation in a seldom driven vehicle can be deadly.

Potential damage is just not worth the couple bucks it cost for an oil change.

 

[skipw]

Lets not get too hung up on "warranty"..... You are unlikely to have engine-problems (during the warranty period) due to OCI greater than 6-months.

A warranty is NOT "all or nothing".... for example, extending your OCI does NOT affect warantee on the suspension or electronics.

You are indeed correct, but "unlikely" is not the same as "never". Subaru would be within their rights to deny some warranty claims on a malfunctioning engine if it hasn't been properly maintained. "Properly maintained" means, among other things, changing the oil according to the published maintenance schedule, which says to do it at least every 6 months. We're talking about, what? $70 or so and a little time a year satisfy warranty requirements on some expensive and complex machinery? If that's a problem, you can't afford to drive a car.

 

[z28dug]

You are indeed correct, but "unlikely" is not the same as "never". Subaru would be within their rights to deny some warranty claims on a malfunctioning engine if it hasn't been properly maintained. "Properly maintained" means, among other things, changing the oil according to the published maintenance schedule, which says to do it at least every 6 months. We're talking about, what? $70 or so and a little time a year satisfy warranty requirements on some expensive and complex machinery? If that's a problem, you can't afford to drive a car.

Common problem with far too many. They push their budget to buy the car they want instead of the car they can afford then can't afford maintenance and repairs. My son deals with those folks on a daily basis.

 

[aba4430]

A couple of posts above assume that the OP cannot afford routine maintenance and hence cannot afford to drive the car - not relevant to the OP's initial question. As the majority of responses above indicate, try and adhere to the recommended maintenance schedule during the warranty period to avoid unnecessary headaches. Our 1987 Brat and 1998 BMW Z3 see less than 5K miles a year and I change oil once a year. In fact on the Z3 running on Pennzoil Euro 5W-40, it has been 14 months since the last change. No mayo under the cap on any of our cars, including the Subaru RGV12100 generator or our JD LX-178 with @600 hours on the liquid cooled Kawasaki engine, :smile2:

 

[05frustratiin]

During warranty period I'd do it on the recommended intervals just for CYA. After that if you live in dry climate (low humidity) 1/yr is fine. I'm in area with 85-100% humidity year round. So i do my non-daily drivers every 3-4 months.

 

[skipw]

A couple of posts above assume that the OP cannot afford routine maintenance and hence cannot afford to drive the car - not relevant to the OP's initial question.

<we drive only 6000 miles a year>

... it seems excessive to change the oil every 6 months after putting only 3000 miles on the car.

Would we be okay changing the oil once per year?

To clarify, my reply didn't assume that the OP couldn't afford the specified maintenance.

OP was asking if he could ignore a published requirement that's a condition for keeping the warranty in full effect (oil changes every 6 months or less).

I stand behind my comment, in a reply to a post saying the entire warranty wouldn't go away, that if the relatively minor cost to satisfy the requirements to keep the warranty in full effect was a problem, he really can't afford to drive the car.

 

[provels]

Yes, I think one year would be fine. On the other hand, getting a six-pack of filters from EBay, and Mobil 1 at Walmart in the spring and fall when they have $12/jug rebates and changing it yourself would make for cheap warranty insurance.
Myself, I log a whopping 5K miles/year myself and change every 6 months. At least the oil gets reused at the township garage in their used oil shop heater.